Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been included in Garth Crooks’ Team of the Week, with the former Spurs forward lavishing praise on the midfielder for his consistency.
Hojbjerg has formed a formidable partnership in the middle of the park with Rodrigo Bentancur since the Uruguayan arrived from Juventus in January.
Both players have also demonstrated this season that they can offer a lot going forward, especially whenever Antonio Conte has shifted to a three-man midfield.
That was the case on Saturday, with Yves Bissouma coming on in the 52nd minute to replace the injured Richardson.The Mali international’s introduction gave Hojbjerg and Bentancur the freedom to get forward.
The pair combined for Tottenham’s second goal, with the former Juve man picking out the Dane in the box, whose curled effort took a deflection and beat Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal.
Crooks suggested that the Toffees should have taken the lead given the two gilt-edged chances they had in the first half but he showered praise on Hojbjerg for his consistency.
He wrote in his column for BBC Sport: “Everton should really have been 2-0 up at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before Spurs got into any kind of rhythm.
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“It never ceases to amaze me when midfield players or defenders find themselves in a one-on-one situation with the goalkeeper they go into meltdown or suffer a panic attack.
“Had Amadou Onana or Demarai Gray retained the slightest composure in front of the goal Everton could have come away with something.
“Hojbjerg on the other hand showed the control and composure, not always associated with the Denmark international, to seal the points for Spurs in a 2-0 win.
“I don’t know why I was so surprised, Hojbjerg has been a brilliant addition to the team and quietly consistent for some considerable time.”
Spurs Web Opinion
I, like many other Spurs fans and neutral observers, have been guilty of underrating the creativity that Bentancur and Hojbjerg can provide. When given the freedom to get forward, both players have shown that they have the passing range, movement and composure to cause problems in the final third.
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